(Lucee’s Verse) My mother wants the best for me I know she’s so sincere But somewhere in our history Her wisdom bowed down to fear She taught me only fall in love with beauty that was fair My seeds will grow in ground my roots could never bear Fear sunk deep into my soul And I’ll face the fire Turn my love to gold

If I get blessed wit’ a dark daughter Bet that she’ll never be afraid of water Hair not pressed so nuthin’ to mess up Fro so fresh everybody wanna touch No princess, no Cinderella We gon’ read about Assata Shakur and Coretta Civil disobedience, peaceful protest Before she gets slapped wit’ alternative facts Gotta fight back with the truth, we plant that seed in the youth, please pray that it grow deep roots So they know what not to believe at school See, might be the teacher might be the text Might be the mean girls or the cool kids Came home sad ‘cause her lips so fat And her hair so coarse and her skin so Black Child ain’t dang thang wrong wit’ that Matta fact Dad thinks you da bomb for that All praise to the most high God for that Put ya fist in the sky give the sun some dap

White supremacy Is the enemy In the inner me Even centuries After slavery Still we tend to think Light skinned girls finer than ebony Ain’t no merit in talkin’ proper Hair ain’t good ‘cause it’s straight and longer Name ain’t bad because it’s complex I bet Beyoncé got teased at recess Can’t you see how they stole our minds Made us hate on our very own kind Why we think after all their crimes Everything’s better if it’s almost White? Rock your puffs and talk yo slang Be proud dat you got a unique name Love your Black like it’s the new thang Treat yo’self like it’s ya birthday

9 - Kissed (FT Lucee)

(Lucee’s Verse) My mother wants the best for me I know she’s so sincere But somewhere in our history Her wisdom bowed down to fear She taught me only fall in love with beauty that was fair My seeds will grow in ground my roots could never bear Fear sunk deep into my soul And I’ll face the fire Turn my love to gold

Though “Kissed” is an upbeat song, it is addressing one of the saddest and ugliest expressions of racism; internalized white supremacy and self-hatred among minorities. This song was birthed out of a long cry session with my homegirl and collaborator, Lucee. Lucee is afro-latina, Dominican to be precise, but she is often mistaken for an African American. Dominican heritage is a mix of Taino Indigenous Caribbeans, african slaves, and spanish colonizers. Lucee is light brown with an afro. Dominicans range widely in skin tone and hair texture, sometimes even within the same family. Certain siblings might possess more african, Taino, or white features than others. Sadly, like many colonized nations, Dominican culture suffers from the lie of white supremacy. Darker skin Dominicans are seen as less attractive and African features like coarse or poofy hair are seen as inferior. These beliefs are also held in the African American community. We suffer from self-hate. Many of us believe whiter is better. This thinking is a direct result of the intentional brainwashing that happened during slavery. Slaves were taught they were inferior in every way. Though all black people were inferior to all whites, those with features closer to white people’s were often treated better by white people and considered more attractive. After centuries of being taught such things, the lies took deep root among all people in colonized nations, and many minorities believed in their own inferiority. In her autobiography, Assata Shakur speaks about the stronghold white supremacy has on the minds of black American youth.

“Most of our fights [as kids] started over petty disputes like stepped-on shoes, flying spitballs, and the contested ownership of pens and pencils. But behind our fights, self-hatred was clearly visible… We would call each other “jungle bunnies” and “bush boogies.” We would talk about each other’s ugly, big lips and flat noses. We would call each other pickaninnies and nappy-haired so and-so’s…Black made any insult worse. When you called somebody a ‘bastard,’ that was bad. But when you called somebody a ‘Black bastard,’ now that was terrible. In fact, when I was growing up, being called ‘Black,’ period, was grounds for fighting.‘Who you callin’ Black?’ we would say. We had never heard the words ‘Black is beautiful’ and the idea had never occurred to most of us…We had been completely brainwashed and we didn’t even know it. We accepted white value systems and white standards of beauty and, at times, we accepted the white man’s view of ourselves. We had never been exposed to any other point of view or any other standard of beauty.”

Sadly, these beliefs have been passed down from generation to generation. In verse one of “Kissed”, Lucee sings about some bad advice she was given by her mother. Her mother correctly observed that darker skinned people are treated worse in both Dominican and American culture. Unfortunately she responded to this observation in an unhelpful way. She encouraged Lucee to marry a white man so her children would be lighter, and therefore treated better. After all, don’t you want your kids to have the best life possible? Why would you marry someone dark, knowing your children will face more prejudice because of it? Although Lucee’s mother loves her, this particular piece of advice was “wisdom bowed down to fear.” The worst part is, in some senses her mother was correct, darker people will be treated poorly, the solution to that however must not be to avoid reproducing with dark people so your descendants are treated well. Even as a teen, Lucee realized the error of her mother’s advice. Lucee is not yet a mother, but if her children possess african features, she is willing to “face the fire” of racism and turn her love to gold. After confronting prejudice head on, it will stop the passing down of lies, like gold in the fire, her wisdom and love for her child will be purified of white supremacy. The song then goes into the chorus where Lucee sings of her commitment to teach her daughter to love herself just the way God made her, kissed by the sun.

If I get blessed wit’ a dark daughter Bet that she’ll never be afraid of water Hair not pressed so nuthin’ to mess up Fro so fresh everybody wanna touch No princess, no Cinderella We gon’ read about Assata Shakur and Coretta Civil disobedience, peaceful protest Before she gets slapped wit’ alternative facts Gotta fight back with the truth, we plant that seed in the youth, please pray that it grow deep roots So they know what not to believe at school See, might be the teacher might be the text Might be the mean girls or the cool kids

White supremacist beliefs are all throughout our culture, they are taught both overtly and subtly. Parents have to be intentional about educating their children and fighting back with the truth. Most minorities develop white supremacist ideas and self hate at school, both from the the taunts of other students but also the incredibly biased version of history commonly taught in american education. Unless you go out of your way to change the narrative, the default story is one of white supremacy.

Came home sad ‘cause her lips so fat And her hair so coarse and her skin so Black Child ain’t dang thang wrong wit’ that Matta fact Dad thinks you da bomb for that All praise to the most high God for that Put ya fist in the sky give the sun some dap

For parents of black children, it is only a matter of time before someone belittles your kid for being black. It is important to affirm that not only is their blackness not a bad thing, but it is positively a good thing that ought to be celebrated. It is a gift from God that we ought to be thankful for.

White supremacy Is the enemy In the inner me Even centuries After slavery Still we tend to think Light skinned girls finer than ebony Ain’t no merit in talkin’ proper Hair ain’t good ‘cause it’s straight and longer Name ain’t bad because it’s complex I bet Beyoncé got teased at recess Can’t you see how they stole our minds Made us hate on our very own kind Why we think after all their crimes Everything’s better if it’s almost White? Rock your puffs and talk yo slang Be proud dat you got a unique name Love your Black like it’s the new thang Treat yo’self like it’s ya birthday

The third verse is an encouragement for black people to celebrate who we are. Our skin tone, our hair texture, our lingo, our original and elaborate names, black is beautiful in every way. Do not listen to anyone who would suggest otherwise. “Love your black like it’s the new thang, treat yo’self like it’s ya birthday!”

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach

Minutes from da coast Never go to the sand If you isn’t from my home Then you won’t understand Meet a Long Beach grown I don’t care what you do Only thing I wanna know Where you went to high school? I’m a scholar and a champ, green and golden I bleed Classroom lookin’ like a coalition of peace Black, White, Cambodian, Polynesian, and Brown All tight like a fist that be fightin’ the power Sup foo, aye cuz, dudes ladies and bros Hands high for the city, dubs up for the coast I’m Kappernickin’ the flag but Cali until I croak No matter how far I go Long Beach on my dome

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

Cousin I’m glad that gangsta rap died Bad for ya mind but ya boy can’t lie The G Funk ride Whenever I hear ‘em play Snoop, Dre Warren, Nate I’m ready to regulate on my enemies though I never load clips If you raised in the beach you an honorary Crip What makes a young church boy wanna dip to songs about indo sippin on gin Really one word I just wanted respect Black since birth I was born wit’ a hex Thug or thug-not they treated me like a threat So I might as well strut wit’ my little bird chest Feelin’ like a King when I saw how they feared me Swagger so clean even privilege envies Tables got turned now White kids they yearn to have what we got but this is our burden Our stories finally gettin’ heard From the ghettos of America to the ends of the earth Whole world wishin’ they was Black like us But it ain’t dope to live po’ and oppressed Oh no my people don’t be pimpin’ your pain Romanticizing the madness to make you some change If you reppin’ for your hood hope you rappin’ for change Do not gentrify, transform hearts and brains

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LBC) My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

Ronnie B from the LBC Class of Nineteen Seventy Three I know you You know me Hey I’m still the same but one thing has changed I now proclaim Jesus name I used roll on my Schwinn after dark Meet the fellas up at King Park Ride the bridge to the westide ‘Cause it all was Long Beach pride Met up at the P,O,L,Y All green and gold inside I used to hang out with D Dub Kenny, Kelly and J Dub, Sed, Lee, and Ricky G Junior Lee, Anthony, Louie, and Big D All representing the LBC

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LBC) My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

8 - The City of Long Beach (FT Ronnie B.)

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach

Anyone who knows me is aware that I have an obnoxious amount of pride in my hometown, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA! At the same time however, I have lived in a couple other states, traveled all over the world, and can find some sense of home in the friends I make everywhere I go. The chorus pays homage to every place on earth that has been home to me in one way or another. “I get around this rock”. As a travelling artist, in some sense, the road is also home. There is a familiarity and comfort in making friends all over. It’s a reminder that although many aspects of our cultures and experiences are different, humans everywhere are seeking similar things and having the same range of human emotions. Anywhere people exist, I can feel at home. Youngstown, Ohio is home. My mother was born and raised in Youngstown and I got all kinda aunties, cousins, grandparents, great uncles etc. out there. Chicago. I can’t say enough. Chicago was the first place I lived outside of Long Beach. I went to undergrad in Chicago. My parents were super strict, Chicago was my first taste of independence! During those years, I began taking creativity seriously. Wrote my first rap song in Chicago. Participated in my first poetry slam in Chicago. I explain it like this, Long Beach is my mother. You don’t choose your mom, and nothing can come close to the love of a mother. But Chicago is my boo, my romance, my wife. A man loves his wife just as much as he loves his mom, but in very different ways. After I finished my undergrad degree, I landed an internship in a small town in central Oregon called Bend. Before Bend, I had only lived in big cities. It was quite an adventure to be in a tiny town with a culture of nature recreation. I did all kinda stuff I never thought I’d do. White water rafting, rock climbing, snowshoeing, and made a ton of great friends. After a couple years though, I missed the human diversity and buzz of city life, so I moved back to the place that raised me. “My home be, be the city of Long Beach.”

Minutes from da coast Never go to the sand If you isn’t from my home Then you won’t understand

When people hear the name Long Beach, they will often picture a quaint little beach town with a surfer culture. That is most definitely not Long Beach, California. Long Beach is a sizable city with an urban culture and incredible diversity. The port of Long Beach built a breakwater to prevent cargo ships from being slammed by waves. The unfortunate result is that our beach is pretty lame, haaaa. We don’t have waves and the water is dirty. That’s why we’re “minutes from the coast, never go to the sand.” I love my city but you don’t come to Long Beach for the beach.

Meet a Long Beach grown I don’t care what you do Only thing I wanna know Where you went to high school?

Another thing particular to Long Beach is excessive school spirit when it comes to high schools. Long after graduation, people who grew up in Long Beach possess die hard loyalty to their high school. There are many cross town rivalries and stereotypes about people who attend particular schools.

I’m a scholar and a champ, green and golden I bleed Classroom lookin’ like a coalition of peace Black, White, Cambodian, Polynesian, and Brown All tight like a fist that be fightin’ the power Sup foo, aye cuz, dudes ladies and bros

I went to Polytechnic, aka Poly High, the first and oldest public high school in Long Beach. The school’s official slogan is “Home of Scholars and Champions.” Our colors are green and gold. One of my favorite parts about Poly, and Long Beach as a whole, is the incredible diversity. A classroom at my high school looked like a United Nations meeting. I grew up around a plethora of cultures. Students formed close friendships with people from all backgrounds. The older I get, the more I value having been raised and educated in an environment like this. Because of the diversity, there was a smorgasbord of lingo used. Latin American students would say “sup foo”, black students “what up cuz”, white students would say “dude” and “bro”, but we all influenced each other, borrowing terms from friends with different backgrounds. Our slang was multi-cultural.

Hands high for the city, dubs up for the coast I’m Kappernickin’ the flag but Cali until I croak No matter how far I go Long Beach on my dome

Californians will often celebrate their hometown and home state while at the same time being very critical of the federal government and the rest of the nation. Having lived in California and other places in the states, I do feel a stark difference between the culture of my home and the rest of the nation. I personally am very proud to be from California but I strongly object to much of what America as a whole stands for and how the nation operates. I reference former NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s protest against the police brutality and institutional racism so common in American (and California as well), but I still celebrate my home. She’s far from perfect, but I’ll be an enthusiastic Long Beach, Californian until the day I die.

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

Cousin I’m glad that gangsta rap died Bad for ya mind but ya boy can’t lie The G Funk ride Whenever I hear ‘em play Snoop, Dre Warren, Nate I’m ready to regulate on my enemies though I never load clips If you raised in the beach you an honorary Crip

Gangsta rap was wildly popular when I was growing up in the 90s. Long Beach specifically produced many successful rappers. As a fan of hip hop, and also as a person who takes great pride in his city, Long Beach rappers were heroic figures to me. People like Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G were constantly reppin’ for Long Beach in their music. I couldn’t help but love them. Unfortunately their music celebrated and encouraged destructive lifestyles, most prominently, gang bangin’. This is why, despite my love for it, “I’m glad that gangsta rap died”. Gangsta rap has subsided to a hip hop subgenre and is not nearly as popular these days. In my childhood years however, the Crip gang was huge in Long Beach, and their rivals, the Bloods, were not present in any neighborhood of the city. Because of the popularity of Crippin’ gangsta rap and the strong presence of crips in the city, even kids who were not actual gang members (like myself) felt loosely affiliated and loyal to the gang, we felt like “honorary crips”. Blue, the color of Crips, was my favorite color and most people who grew up in the neighborhoods or attended schools with Crips all avoided wearing the color red because it was associated with Bloods. To this day it is difficult for me to wear anything red. Words like cuz and cousin, popular among Crips, were and still are widely used by people in the city who have no interest in actually gang bangin’. “Whenever I hear ‘em play Snoop, Dre, Warren, Nate, I’m ready to regulate.” This is reference to a popular song from my childhood called “Regulators”. The song was by Warren G and featured Nate Dogg, both from Long Beach. The song tells a story that takes place in Long Beach on the corner of 21st Street and Lewis.

What makes a young church boy wanna dip to songs about indo sippin on gin Really one word I just wanted respect Black since birth I was born wit’ a hex Thug or thug-not they treated me like a threat So I might as well strut wit’ my little bird chest Feelin’ like a King when I saw how they feared me Swagger so clean even privilege envies

This is a reference to Snoop Dogg’s song “Gin and Juice” which says “cruisin’ down the street, smokin’ indo (a type of marijuana), sippin’ on gin and juice.” I’ll admit, my deep fascination with gangsta rap and gang culture was a bit strange considering I was a church kid with incredibly strict parents. I was raised around gangs but I was never a part of them, so why did I love the idea of them so much? “Really one word, I just wanted respect”. It was my desire for respect, as well as not knowing how to navigate being treated like a stereotype fueled my fascination with gang culture. As a black teenage male who loved hip hop, I wore baggy clothes, corn row braids and flat brim hats. People were often scared of me even when I was doing nothing that should be perceived as threatening. I began to notice how women and white people would take fearful postures or avoid me at all cost. I have a vivid memory of attending a church event as a teenager. I walked into a room and there was a group of white teens that I didn’t know standing right inside the doorway. When they saw me, it was like Moses parting the sea. Immediately they split right down the middle and allowed me to pass. Although I know they did this because they assumed the worst about me, it was the first time I felt respected and powerful. Instead of allowing myself to be saddened and frustrated that people feared me for no reason (which I was at first), I decided to lean into the stereotype. I even found it a little humorous because I knew who I really was. I was a church kid who was the president of the Christian club at his high school, I never touched marijuana, never touched a gun, a beer, I had never been in a fist fight, but “thug or thug not, they treated me like a threat, so I might as well strut with my little bird chest.” All I had to do was walk around with a mean mug on my face, wearing my FUBU jersey, and people treated me like I was someone not to be crossed. It was a cheap way to gain the respect I so desired. I might never have the privilege or opportunities as wealthy white kids, but I could make them shake in their boots, and as a teen, that made me feel even greater than equal.

Tables got turned now White kids they yearn to have what we got but this is our burden Our stories finally gettin’ heard From the ghettos of America to the ends of the earth Whole world wishin’ they was Black like us But it ain’t dope to live po’ and oppressed Oh no my people don’t be pimpin’ your pain Romanticizing the madness to make you some change If you reppin’ for your hood hope you rappin’ for change Do not gentrify, transform hearts and brains

Another thing I love about hip hop is that it came out of the black community, but is admired by kids of every ethnicity. As a child, I felt proud to belong to a people who invented such and amazing art form. Although hip hop talks about a wide variety of life experiences, when I was young, the most popular hip hop in my city was the kind that romanticized the ghetto and painted drug dealing, pimpin’ and gang bangin’ as a cool thing to aspire to. Soon, people from all over the world were mimicking black fashion, music and culture, unfortunately they also mimicked the content of gangsta rap and continued the romanticization of racial oppression and criminal activity in impoverished urban areas. Although I celebrate “our stories finally gettin’ heard, from the ghettos of America to the ends of the earth,” I think it is incredibly important for black artists to stop pimpin their pain and “romanticizing the madness.” I believe there is a way to tell stories of harsh realities without glorifying them, but instead, advocate to change them. We do not need to gentrify ghettos through renovations and displacing the people of color, instead we need to transform our hearts and minds about these neighborhoods and the beautiful people who live in them. We need to come up with creative solutions to improve the quality of life, education, business, infrastructure and, safety in american ghettos. We need to partner with the residents of those neighborhoods to figure out how to meet the needs, instead of displacing them after driving up rent via gentrification.

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LBC) My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

Ronnie B from the LBC Class of Nineteen Seventy Three I know you You know me Hey I’m still the same but one thing has changed I now proclaim Jesus name I used roll on my Schwinn after dark Meet the fellas up at King Park Ride the bridge to the westide ‘Cause it all was Long Beach pride Met up at the P,O,L,Y All green and gold inside I used to hang out with D Dub Kenny, Kelly and J Dub, Sed, Lee, and Ricky G Junior Lee, Anthony, Louie, and Big D All representing the LBC

My dad was also raised in Long Beach. He also went to Poly High, and like me, he is quite proud to be from the LBC. When I wrote this song, I thought it would be cool to have my dad jump on the end and do an outro, giving shout outs to certain neighborhoods and iconic Long Beach monuments. Well, when I picked him up and took him to the studio, he did a little more than that, ha! I knew my dad wrote poetry, but I wasn’t expecting him to write a whole rap verse! He walk in with a notebook full of rhymes and spit bars. I am so happy to see pops making his hip hop debut in his 60s. It made this song even more meaningful to me.

I get around this rock Mad homies on the block In a whole lotta cities I know Got fam in Youngstown Many friends up in Bend And I fell in love with Chicago But when I’m on this road And I spit these poems And they wanna know a little ‘bout me My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be Be the City of Long Beach My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LBC) My home be (My home be the city by the sea) Be the City of Long Beach (My home be the LB, LBC)

Educatin’ my mind Keep my tongue on a leash Disciplinin’ my passion to listen before I speak It’s been hot for a minute and I been feelin’ the heat Trying to speak with love but patience is growin’ weak Evil is growin’ strong And every word is a bomb And even when I be careful the haters be sayin’ WRONG OK, I guess we fightin’ I was tryin’ to be civil but you comin’ at me crooked I’m about to keep it rizzle Won’t make it any better but it’s gonna feel great when I flex my intellect and put your stupid on display Oh Laaawd I need to pray Venom in my poetry Death and life is in the tongue Oratin’ a killin’ spree I’m heavy with the speech Always been my greatest skill I’m heavy with the speech Always my Achilles heel I’m ready for the beef I’ll roast all ya bull But the wise stay quiet in the presence of a fool

Let ‘em talk The foolish run they mouth all night all noon all day Let ‘em talk Be wise and tune them out, just close your eyes and pray Let ‘em talk Be slow to speak and when you do, don’t be afraid Let ‘em talk The simple truth will cut through hate like razor blade Like razor blade

I don’t believe my actions speak louder than my words With hand-crafted diction entire sentence is a verb In other words, our words are actions too Will you speak the truth or react and spew Gotta choose when to stay quiet and swallow your pride When to yell like a fool that the roof is on fire Best believe there’s a time when you gotta do both Don’t argue with disbelievers who deny the smoke Betta ring the alarm for the ones who don’t know I’ma scream out the truth till I got a sore throat Hold my tongue when we win Jesus don’t let me gloat ‘Cause my God get no pleasure in the death of a fool

Let ‘em talk The foolish run they mouth all night all noon all day Let ‘em talk Be wise and tune them out just close your eyes and pray Let ‘em talk Be slow to speak and when you do don’t be afraid Let ‘em talk The simple truth will cut through hate like razor blade Like razor blade

Educatin’ my mind Keep my tongue on a leash Disciplinin’ my passion to listen before I speak It’s been hot for a minute and I been feelin’ the heat Trying to speak with love but patience is growin’ weak Evil is growin’ strong And every word is a bomb And even when I be careful the haters be sayin’ WRONG

In this tumultuous moment in american history, it has become more and more difficult to have constructive dialogue about anything of importance. So many debated topics are connected to larger issues of justice which I consider personal. It is easy to be swept up in emotion and use words to wound people instead of educate or challenge them. Even though I try to avoid disrespectful debate at all costs, sometimes my passion boils over and I find myself indulging in pettiness. I am constantly “disciplinin’ my passion to listen before I speak”, as the bible instructs “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). It is doubly upsetting when I do listen, take time to respond in a reasoned and humble manner, yet am still attacked and slandered.

OK, I guess we fightin’ I was tryin’ to be civil but you comin’ at me crooked I’m about to keep it rizzle Won’t make it any better but it’s gonna feel great when I flex my intellect and put your stupid on display

I am not proud to admit that I occasionally give in to the temptation to stoop. In these moments, I am no longer seeking to do good, but rather satisfy my desire to embarrass my opposers. I know it “won’t make it any better, but it’s gonna feel great.”

Oh Laaawd I need to pray Venom in my poetry Death and life is in the tongue Oratin’ a killin’ spree

Proverbs 18:21 says “death and life are in the power of the tongue..” I am responsible for the life and death I speak into this world.

I’m heavy with the speech Always been my greatest skill I’m heavy with the speech Always my Achilles heel I’m ready for the beef I’ll roast all ya bull But the wise stay quiet in the presence of a fool

As a writer, poet, and public speaker, I am aware of the power of words. I am also aware that I am particularly gifted with words. This however can manifest itself in unhealthy ways. I believe a person’s greatest strength and greatest weakness are two sides of the same coin. My ability with words is both my “greatest skill”, as well as my “Achilles heel”. Regardless to how reckless others might be with their words, I must remember that I answer to God for everything I let out of my mouth. Jesus said “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36).

Let ‘em talk The foolish run they mouth all night all noon all day Let ‘em talk Be wise and tune them out, just close your eyes and pray Let ‘em talk Be slow to speak and when you do, don’t be afraid Let ‘em talk The simple truth will cut through hate like razor blade Like razor blade

“The foolish run they mouth all night, all noon all day.” Ecclesiastes 10:14 says “A fool multiplies words.” Foolish people often talk way too much. Wise people are more selective and thoughtful when they speak. Foolish words create a big mess, but wise words have the power to pierce through the foolishness. Hebrews 4:12-13 reminds us how powerful the truth of God is, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When we speak the truth and love and justice of God with confidence and humility, “the simple truth will cut through hate like razor blade.”

I don’t believe my actions speak louder than my words With hand-crafted diction entire sentence is a verb In other words, our words are actions too Will you speak the truth or react and spew

Though I understand the spirit behind the saying “actions speak louder than words,” I believe it creates a false dichotomy between actions and words. Words are actions. Words, like other actions, are not mere abstract ideas, empty promises or threats. With words we can affect real change for better or for worse. Our words can heal, encourage and challenge us to grow, or our words can wound, belittle and discourage people. To dismiss words as “just words” without real consequences, is foolish and irresponsible. We must understand the power our words possess. In a divisive time like this, will we be committed to speaking necessary truth, or will we get caught up in the frenzy of foolish words and allow our speech to become destructive, reactionary venom intending to destroy our opponents?

Gotta choose when to stay quiet and swallow your pride When to yell like a fool that the roof is on fire Best believe there’s a time when you gotta do both

As a person committed to constructive truth-telling, it is not always necessary to respond to foolish words. At times, we have to swallow our pride and let foolish people put their foot in their own mouth. Depending on the situation though, sometimes we must speak out and challenge a foolish person who is spreading dangerous ideas. It takes maturity and discernment to know when to do what. Proverbs 26:4-5 speaks to this very predicament, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” On the surface these back to back statements seem contradictory, but they are not. They are simply saying, know when to roll your eyes, let ‘em talk and keep silent, and know when stand up and say something.

Don’t argue with disbelievers who deny the smoke Betta ring the alarm for the ones who don’t know I’ma scream out the truth till I got a sore throat

It is not our job to convince ignorant people of truth, but rather to confront them with it. It is a waste of time to argue with people who knowingly choose a narrative that suits them best. Trump’s assistant Kellyanne Conway coined the phrase “alternative facts.” But there is no such thing as an alternative fact. What she was describing was willful ignorance.The prophet Ezekiel spoke of the prophetic responsibility of confronting, without being burdened with the impossible task of convincing those who knowingly choose to ignore truth.

Ezekiel 33:1-6 says: The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

Hold my tongue when we win Jesus don’t let me gloat ‘Cause my God get no pleasure in the death of a fool

When we are boldly opposing foolish people, we must constantly check our heart. Our aim should not be simply to prove them wrong, or to make them look stupid. Our aim should be to faithfully present the truth while hoping they take it to heart and change for the better. When foolish people don’t change, and end up suffering because of it, we should not get excited. Ezekiel 33:11 shows us what our posture ought to be, “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live, turn back, turn back from your evil ways…”

(Aisea Taimani) Let ‘em talk The foolish run they mouth all night all noon all day Let ‘em talk Be wise and tune them out just close your eyes and pray Let ‘em talk Be slow to speak and when you do don’t be afraid Let ‘em talk The simple truth will cut through hate like razor blade Like razor blade

“Razor Blade” ends with an obnoxiously long montage of Donald Trump claiming to be the best at just about everything in the world. In between I keep repeating “let ‘em talk”. In context of the song, the Trump claims are revealing. They reinforce the fact that sometimes there is no need to call out a foolish person. Sometimes their own words prove their foolishness better than any well articulated critique of them.

For hip hop heads who don’t wanna be black Who love black people more than they love rap For all the real friends who grieve for Black lives ‘steada diggin’ up dirt and tryin’ to justify For all the white folks with the ears to hear who don’t make black pain all about your guilt Don’t make black rage all about your fear Who never stay quiet when verdicts is unfair Who join us in the fire stead’a stayin’ in the clear ‘Cause they know they ain’t free till we all get there This the ally anthem Rule number one Make sure this track is not your favorite song Gratitude to activists of every hue Especially if you woke without havin’ a black boo Ya do it ‘cause it’s right And ya do it ‘cause it’s true And ya do it ‘cause you love Fresh Prince and soul food Ya do it ‘cause you think that my people is beautiful So glad you do, y’all pretty fly too

Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there

For Daddys wit’ all daughters Who ain’t wishin’ for sons For sons brothers and fathers Who love who they come from For lovers of strong women Who never intimidated But celebrating their ladies Like my baby the greatest! For the male womanist Killin’ their inner chauvinist Never lookin’ for credit For doin’ what should be obvious Gender equality ain’t a noble belief It’s basic humanity Be glad that you ain’t a beast Unafraid to release emotion because you see compassion and sympathy is strength, don’t be weak No man is free if just men are free We fight for her rights but she take the lead Wit’ our boots to the groundFist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there

6 - Ally Anthem

Up until this song, the album has been a heavy handed critique of America. More specifically pointing out the many different ways white supremacy and white privilege are expressed throughout american culture and law. Such critique is necessary, appropriate, and motivated by love. I know my white friends who care about justice and equality will seriously consider these critiques. Even for the open minded ally, these conversations are taxing on the mind and heart. I deeply appreciate everyone of all backgrounds willing to take a stand for justice. I wanted to take a moment on the album to express gratitude for allies. When I say ally, I mean any person who stands for the basic human rights of a people group that they do not belong to. This could include a non-black person participating in a Black Lives Matter demonstration, a male-womanist who passionately pushes for gender equality in the workplace. A Christian who speaks out against hate of Muslims, a straight student who stands up for a gay classmate that gets bullied. You can never cover everything in a single song. The chorus of “ally anthem” is all encompassing, addressing every type of ally for every type of people group, but the verses focus on two specific issues that I believe are most pressing in the american context, anti-blackness and sexism. Verse one is directed towards those who are allies to black americans in our struggle for equality.

For hip hop heads who don’t wanna be black Who love black people more than they love rap

There are misguided expressions of false unity that swallow the identity of the aspiring ally or the oppressed people group. I’ve met certain non-black people who are sympathetic to black suffering and admire black culture, but to an unhealthy degree. They go beyond experiencing, appreciating and participating in black culture in an honoring way. They go so far as to self-deprecate their own ethnic heritage and fetishize or idolize blackness. They do not only enjoy black culture, they themselves wish they were black. It is not cultural appropriation every time a non black person wears black fashion, uses black lingo or is influenced by black art. There must be room for participating in other culture’s traditions in a way that is not offensive. I’ve met many non black people who grew up in a predominantly black context or have been deeply influenced by hip hop and genuinely engage in certain aspects of blackness that is true to themselves and respectful of black culture. These type of people authentically engage in blackness because they authentically engage with black people. They love us, not just our culture, “they love black people more than they love rap”. Problematic allies are those who attempt to assume a black identity. Those who say things like, “white people suck, I’m black on the inside”. Those who hold tight to a joking comment by a black friend that once called them an “honorary black person.” If you are not black, you are not black. Whether joking or serious, do not ever attempt to consider yourself one of us. This is unhelpful in the quest for equality. Although desiring to be black might seems humorous and harmless, it is a very dangerous idea. It suggest that the best way to stand with an other people group is to become the other people group. It implies that our differences are a hindrance to unity. It assumes that we could have better community if we were not different. But that is untrue. I do not wish to be anything but myself. Likewise, I wish for my non black friends to desire no other racial identity but their own. In doing so, only then can we truly celebrates the beauty of diversity and reinforce equality. We should seek to be one in spirit with all humanity, but we are from many tribes, tongues and nations. We should praise God for that.

False unity swallows identity in the other direction as well. Some who seek unity among people groups do not desire to become the minority, but instead claim to be color-blind. They claim to actually see no difference at all between people groups. They are lying to themselves. We all possess the ability to see differences in physical traits. We all become aware of our otherness when experiencing different cultures. What is too often meant by, “I don’t see color” is, I see all cultures as the dominant culture . It is a way of thinking that encourages assimilation. In the american context, it means, I consider all people to be as white people, requiring the would-be ally to project a white identity onto minority peoples in order to consider them equal. Reggie L. Williams explains in the introduction to his book

“Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus” “Abusive empathy is prone to projection, in which the dominant, self-determining, autonomous persons within the social hierarchy bounce their image off the fungible body of fixed, commodified human subjects, only to see their own reflection returned to them. Empathy can be distorted to make it another way of keeping the subject in subjection, requiring an imagined white body overlaying a black one to humanize it (Williams, 4).”

It is not necessary or good for you to desire to become an oppressed minority. It is not true or helpful to claim colorblindness. It is not right to project your identity onto others in order to treat them justly. See my difference, see my black, celebrate it for me, love yourself the way God created you, consider us equal, love me as brother. This song is celebrating those who do just that.

For all the real friends who grieve for Black lives ‘steada diggin’ up dirt and tryin’ to justify

Whenever there are reports of police brutality or another loss of black life at the hands of the police, some people, in the name of objectivity and fairness have a bizarre initial reaction. Their instinct is to look for reasons to justify the police’s actions. They tell black people not to jump to conclusions, reminding us that according to the law, each person is innocent until proven guilty, even though these instances are so often the result of police treating black people as guilty of a crime without having committed one. This lyric is not suggesting that anyone should automatically assume the police have done wrong, but rather it is a reminder that true allies should respond with grief and empathy. Learn to mourn the loss of life even without having all the facts. In addition, pay attention to the pattern and understand how each instance will bring up fears and pain in the hearts of your black friends. If a woman you loved (friend, daughter, spouse) told you she was raped, how would she feel if the first thing you said was, “Well, let’s not jump to conclusions, what exactly happened? Are you sure you were raped? What did you do to make him think you wanted to sleep with him?” If this is how you responded, that person would no longer believe you cared about them at all. Obviously further details are necessary, but the first thing that comes out of your mouth ought to be grief, and support particularly when things like this occur in contexts that have proven over and over again to oppressive to black people and to women. An accusation does not automatically make a person guilty, but objectivity does not require you running to the defense of the accused, or refusing to empathize with the alleged victim.

For all the white folks with the ears to hear who don’t make black pain all about your guilt Don’t make black rage all about your fear Who never stay quiet when verdicts is unfair Who join us in the fire stead’a stayin’ in the clear ‘Cause they know they ain’t free till we all get there This the ally anthem Rule number one Make sure this track is not your favorite song

Particularly when you belong to a privileged group, it is easy for activists to become discouraged and self-focused. It is easy to “make black pain all about [your] guilt” . When a person of privilege resists injustice, they are constantly confronted with their personal privilege and the wrongs of their people group. Guilt is a difficult thing to sort through and should be given appropriate attention, however the focus should remain on changing oppressive institutions and liberating oppressed people. Of course you might feel down at times. Guilt should not discourage you from working towards equality, neither should it be your motivator. Be motivated by a desire to see truth, love, and justice prevail, not by a personal quest to ease your own conscience. Guilt gets us nowhere, it only seeks to shame us for unchangeable pasts, which is why guilt does not disappear even when present good is being done. Giving up on working towards justice because you feel too guilty is self defeating and will only cause a greater sense of guilt. Learn to acknowledge the injustice in society and take responsibility for the unjust things you have done, but at the same time, accept what you cannot change (the past), and choose to operate in a new reality. Don’t allow guilt to hijack the good work. I also acknowledge those who “don’t make black rage all about they fear.” Who wouldn’t be angry after centuries of oppression? Sometimes injustices can be explained calmly, at other times, oppressed people need to rage, need to shriek, need to lament loudly. Privileged people should learn to listen with sympathetic ears that consider the context. They should not condemn minorities for being too angry, but rather seek to understand why the are so angry in the first place. Again, to liken it to sexims, I was at an open mic at which several women performed poems that were brutally critical of men and masculinity. Within the poems however, they all made mentioned that they were victims of sexual assault. One poet in particular had been raped more than once by different men. The women were angry and disgusted at men and masculinity and they were not shy about it. As a man, I was uncomfortable, but to make that moment about my fear of their anger would miss the point. I need not tell them to be less angry if they want me to listen, what I need to do is work towards a culture in which they are not raped. I need not scold them for being unkind to me as a man, but I need to commit to being a man who makes them feel safe.

The last part of this verse is meant to be a reminder to not make your activism about you. Americans will often take trips to third world nations to dig wells or do good deeds. The way some talk about their justice work seems to emphasise how good they are instead of the importance of the work and the dignity of the people they’re serving. Do-gooders will take pictures and tell stories that paint themselves as heroic. It seems they have missed the point. After listening to this album, which addresses all sorts of issues of justice, I would be suspect of your motivation if your favorite song was the one in which I thank allies. It is something I find important to do, but receiving gratitude from the people they are serving should not be the focus of justice-minded people. “Make sure this track is not your favorite song.”

Gratitude to activists of every hue Especially if you woke without havin’ a black boo Ya do it ‘cause it’s right And ya do it ‘cause it’s true And ya do it ‘cause you love Fresh Prince and soul food Ya do it ‘cause you think that my people is beautiful So glad you do, y’all pretty fly too

“Gratitude to activists of every hue. Especially if you woke without havin’ a black boo.” This line is not at all intended to look down upon interracial couples. It makes sense that non black people in romantic relationships with black people will likely end up learning and caring more about the plight of black folks, however the majority of people in America are not in romantic relationships with black americans. This cannot be the main strategy to combat racial injustice. It is not necessary for you be romantic with a black person for you to learn and care about us. I am thankful for those who have a commitment to justice and a love for black people even without being in love with a particular black person.

Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there

For Daddys wit’ all daughters Who ain’t wishin’ for sons For sons brothers and fathers Who love who they come from For lovers of strong women Who never intimidated But celebrating their ladies Like my baby the greatest!

This second verse addresses sexism. In many cultures around the world, women are treated as less valuable from the moment the parents find out the sex of their child in the womb. Because many societies are patriarchal, daughters are not considered as valuable as sons. They will likely be given in marriage to another family and take the husband’s name. The wealth and the honor of a family is passed down through sons alone. Also, in America, a skewed acknowledgement of violence against women has caused many fathers to desire sons more than daughters. The running joke says, american men have to buy a gun when they father a daughter. Men are well aware of the way we harass and abuse women. Many american men would rather have sons so they don’t have to worry as much about the safety of their child. On one hand, the lamenting of having daughters and the “time to buy a gun” joke acknowledges how awful and dangerous our culture is to women, but at the same time it continues to devalue women by preferring male children. A true ally for women will rejoice in fathering daughters with just as much enthusiasm as he would in fathering sons. He would also be committed to dismantling a culture which is unsafe for women and his daughter, instead of continuing the toxic masculinity by buying a gun or threatening their daughters’ dates with violence.

A true ally willl keep in mind that every man came from a woman. That truth alone should create a sense of gratitude and respect towards women. A true ally will not be intimidated by powerful women. A lot of men disapprove of women with leadership capabilities because both their culture and often theology teaches them that women should be subordinate and submissive, that a woman’s primary role is to aid her male partner in his life pursuits as well as sexually please him. This is ignorant and evil. A true ally will rejoice when women embrace their full potential and have opportunities to utilize their leadership capabilities.

For the male womanist Killin’ their inner chauvinist Never lookin’ for credit For doin’ what should be obvious Gender equality ain’t a noble belief It’s basic humanity Be glad that you ain’t a beast

In Yona Harvey’s poem “Turquoise”, her husband denied the advances of a woman inviting him to commit adultery, after which he felt very proud of himself. But Yona felt differently

[My husband’s] brush with temptationisn’t as noble as he’d like to believe, more likecleaning the house when it gets dirty—he couldmark it on a table of triumphs, but, at the end of the day,it mostly amounts to what he is supposed to do.

Yona points out that men have low standards for themselves. Not cheating on your wife does not make you a particularly good man, just not a cheater. Similarly, I rap “gender equality ain’t a noble belief, it’s basic humanity. Be glad that you aint a beast.” Believing that women are equal to men ought to be obvious. If you are man who believes in the equality of the sexes, you should not expect exceptional treatment from women simply for being against their oppression. Sadly many men parade their faux-feminism in order to impress women. Such behavior only contributes to the problem.

Also, it is worth pointing out that in the song, I use the term “male womanist” instead of “male feminist.” Womanism instead of feminism was an intentional and important distinction. Most expressions of feminism in american history are very narrow in scope. The historical suffrage movement was dominated by white women. They fought fervently for their rights but hypocritically excluded women of color in their movement and show very little care to combat racial oppression. This trend continues today in mainstream american feminism. Because of this, some women do not identify with the feminist movement, but rather prefer the term womanist. In “Black Feminist Thought,” Patricia Hill Collins explains how womanism considers the overlapping nature of various injustices. It acknowledges that certain expressions of sexim cannot be dismantled without also destroying the racism, classism, or other form of oppression attached to it.

Unafraid to release emotion because you see compassion and sympathy is strength, don’t be weak

To be an ally to women, men must realize that emotions are nothing to be ashamed of. All emotions belong to all humans. By refusing to allow yourself to feel certain emotions deemed feminine by culture, you are stunting your ability to grow into a healthy human being. This will hinder your ability to relate to all people, particularly women. American culture tell us things like courage, confidence, and power are masculine, while compassion, empathy and gentleness are feminine. This way of thinking polarizes humanity to its detriment. Women too are courageous, confident and powerful, and men need to be compassionate, empathetic, and gentle. In his poem “My Mans N Them”, Rasheed Copeland points out that even macho men express emotions all the time, just in an unhealthy and imbalanced way.

My mans n them don’t do well with affection Swear they ain’t emotional My mans n them don’t know that anger is an emotion that rules them into loving with their fists No man is free if just men are free We fight for her rights but she take the lead

Only when men embrace the full spectrum of emotions will we be able to love anyone well. Only then can men be allies, friends and lovers of women. Though we are in the privileged position, men will never be free as long as we suppress certain aspects of our humanity, disdaining them as feminine. Femininity should not be feared, as long as it is, men will never be healthy humans. Men will never be free as long as women are oppressed. Men will never be free as long as we are unwilling to allow women to partner with us as equals, and lead us as intelligent, gifted human beings from whom we must learn.

No man is free if just men are free We fight for her rights but she take the lead Wit’ our boots to the groundFist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there Wit’ our boots to the ground Fist in the air We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there We ain’t gon’ stop ‘till we all get there

Live by the sword Die by the sword Say you want peace But forever make war Freedom ain’t free Better aim for the core But freedom ain’t freedom If you killin’ the poor (2x)

Would you die for what you believed at 18? Do you trust your teenage perception of complexities Of self Of God Of Good and evil Right and wrong Truth Love Global Economy Foreign Relations Just War Theory Did you even know what those terms meant back then? Armed forces recruits youth to fight wars of cowardly men Three years too young to be trusted with a margarita but Uncle Sam handin’ teenagers guns Children deployed to front lines at the command of a commander in chief they were too young to vote for Killin’ poor folk they do not know over conflicts they do not understand And when they die we thank them for their service Drape patriotism over their casket and claim they sacrificed for freedom’s sake I for one am not grateful I grieve for the loss of life But they ain’t die for my freedom If you die for America, you die for a nation that still treats me sub-human Fallen soldiers are victims, not heroes Victims of a government that sends their young and poor to early graves All because old men are stuck in their ways Willing to sacrifice other people’s lives to maintain power and privilege Running to war as a first resort Not creative enough to dream up other forms of conflict resolution Unless of course THEY are the terrorists The White knights lynching the innocent Police brutalizing the citizens Then they prefer peaceful protest Then they believe nonviolent resistance to evil is effective Sometimes I wonder if these wars were domestic Would they think twice about bombing enemy lairs in residential areasin Beverly Hills, in Time Square? If civilian casualties were their own wives and children would they be eager to wage warfare? Would they get better at diplomacy? Learn how to compromise? De-escalate tensions? Learn to fight fire with water War with peace Stop spending billions on defense And pour resource into foreign aid education and disaster relief Make friends out of would-be enemies Fight evil with poetry Appoint Rappers as foreign ambassadors ‘Cause hip hop already united the atlas Middle-eastern kids bumpin’ Chance and Kendrick There is another way No disrespect to vets with post-traumatic stress or soldiers who lost their life But no one is a hero just ‘cause they fight I am not grateful your service I don’t know what you did on tour Even aside from possible war crimes I’m not sure if I believe in this war

But I am grateful you made it back alive I do pray you find peace for your war-torn mind I do pray you put down your weapon and realize You can fight for freedom without killing for it You can die for freedom without killing for it

That’s the only kind of freedom worth fighting for Worth dying for Worth living for But if you live by the sword…

Live by the sword Die by the sword Say you want peace But forever make war Freedom ain’t free Better aim for the core But freedom ain’t freedom If you killin’ the poor (3x)

5 - Just War Theory

Live by the sword Die by the sword Say you want peace But forever make war Freedom ain’t free Better aim for the core But freedom ain’t freedom If you killin’ the poor (2x)

I think I’m becoming a pacifist. Concerning human conflicts, I can’t find any other stance consistent with my faith in Jesus. On one hand, I’m all about the use of violence to stop injustice. If I’m honest, I’m glad many nations dropped bombs on Nazis to stop Hitler in WWII. If I had a child, and they were getting bullied at school, part of me would want to teach them how to throw a solid uppercut. But are there ways other than violence to stop bullies like Hitler? It’s hard to imagine any type of non-violent resistance being effective in a conflict of that nature, but, the world has never tried. Nations rush to the use of violence, particularly when it is an issue that most consider an unquestionable crime against humanity. However, in the American abolition and Civil Rights Movement, black people faced Hitler-esque brutality from slave owners and later groups like the KKK, who routinely terrorized, lynched and burned the bodies of innocent black people. Black folks also combatted institutionalized hate from their own government who passed laws legalizing their oppression. It would not have been difficult to make a case justifying black americans’ rights to employ the use of violence in fighting for freedom. Apart from faith, I believe we would have been and still are justified in that choice. However, as a follower of Jesus, I cannot hold that position. If there was ever a situation in which the use of violence was just, it would be when soldiers came to arrest Jesus, a man who Christians believe did no wrong in his entire life. Yet, when Christ’s disciple drew his weapon to prevent Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, Christ said, “put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword (Matthew 26:52)”. If the sinless Jesus would not allow his disciple to use violence to prevent his own unjust murder, how can modern disciples of Christ justify killing in any context? Jesus did not stop his disciple simply because crucifixion was his personal destiny. If that were the case, he would not have taken the extra step to explain the principle, “all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” That is a, timeless, universal truth. This truth was understood by Martin Luther King after studying the lives and teachings of Jesus and Gandhi. This is the foundation on which he and other black leaders built their principally non-violent expression of the Civil Rights Movement. Some consider nonviolent resistance weak, ineffective, lacking power or courage to fight for justice by any means necessary, yet during the Civil Rights Movement, the nonviolent expression of resistance accomplished more than any movement which was not principally nonviolent. King explains how he came to believe not only in the goodness, but the power of a nonviolent approach...

"As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform. Prior to reading Gandhi, I had about concluded that the ethics of Jesus were only effective in individual relationships, The 'turn the other cheek' philosophy and the 'love your enemies' philosophy were only valid, I felt, when individuals were in conflict with other individuals; when racial groups and nations were in conflict, a more realistic approach seemed necessary. But after reading Gandhi, I saw how utterly mistaken I was. Gandhi was probably the first person in history to lift the love ethic of Jesus above mere interaction between individuals to a powerful and effective social force on a large scale. Love for Gandhi was a potent instrument for social and collective transformation. It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking for so many months...I came to feel that this was the only morally and practically sound method open to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom" (King, Stride Toward Freedom p 96-97).

King realized that Gandhi’s Christ-inspired philosophies were not only good in theory, but they actually worked! Gandhi was able to help India shake the shackles of violent British colonialism without using violence. Non violence was proven to be powerful. If it worked for India, why couldn’t it work for black folks in America? Upon this realization, King lived by the words of Christ, “for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword.” This lead to King famously proclaiming “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that!” These truths inspired the chorus of “Just War Theory”, “ Live by the sword, die by the sword...” Just like hate cannot drive out hate, you cannot attempt to make peace by waging war. “Say you want peace but forever make war.” What if nations were committed to the nonviolence of Jesus, Gandhi and King? What if, for example, during WWII, instead of sending hundreds of thousands of weaponized soldiers, the allied forces send hundreds of thousands of nonviolent protesters, community organizers, and peacemakers armed with love, creative strategies and demonstrations. I know this may sound naive and farfetched to some, but it has never even been attempted on a scale that big, so we cannot say it would not work. However when this was employed on a smaller but still significant scale within India and America, it was unquestionably powerful and effective. If nations combated injustice like this, I’m sure some lives would be lost, but many lives are guaranteed to be lost when violence is met with violence. We simply don’t know what would happen if America had a nonviolent foreign policy, but I believe it is high time we evolve beyond Teddy Roosevelt's “Speak softly and carry a big stick” approach to alleged peacemaking among nations.

Would you die for what you believed at 18? Do you trust your teenage perception of complexities Of self Of God Of Good and evil Right and wrong Truth Love Global Economy Foreign Relations Just War Theory Did you even know what those terms meant back then? Armed forces recruits youth to fight wars of cowardly men Three years too young to be trusted with a margarita but Uncle Sam handin’ teenagers guns Children deployed to front lines at the command of a commander in chief they were too young to vote for Killin’ poor folk they do not know over conflicts they do not understand

Even if I were to accept the possibility of war being justified in certain contexts, I will never support the age at which Americans are able to join the military. We live in a nation that does not even trust teenagers with a cocktail, and yet we will allow them to go to war, risk their life and take the lives of others. I would challenge every adult I know over the age of 25 with a simple question, “would you die for what you believed at 18?” For the vast majority of us, the answer would be an enthusiastic “NO WAY!” In American culture, 18 year olds have very little understanding of global conflicts. In fact, 18 year olds have very little understanding of themselves. I am known by most as a spoken word poet, but I didn’t write my first spoken word poem until I was 20 years old, and even then, poetry was just a hobby for me. One of my deepest passions and greatest skills was not even a part of my life at 18. I, like most Americans, was still in the process of discovering my own personality, skills and beliefs. Hills I would have died on back then are not even moderately important to me anymore. It is incredibly irresponsible for a government to send teenagers to war. If war is to be waged, it must be fought by those with a mature awareness of themselves, and a thorough as possible education of the conflict they will participate in.

And when they die we thank them for their service Drape patriotism over their casket and claim they sacrificed for freedom’s sake I for one am not grateful I grieve for the loss of life But they ain’t die for my freedom If you die for America, you die for a nation that still treats me sub-human

Many Americans believe that all soldiers are heroes merely based on the fact that they served in the American military. This idea assumes the U.S. military is always justified in its actions. It assumes every conflict we enter is absolutely necessary and our motives are always pure. If a soldier dies in battle, they are considered a hero who paid the ultimate sacrifice defending freedom. But what if you die in a pointless war? What if history proves there was no clear good and evil side, no clear winner. Are you still a hero if you fought and killed in a war without purpose or victory? Also, if you die in the name of a nation that perpetuates injustice against its own citizens, how are you defending freedom? How is your sacrifice heroic? In fact, you might be empowering a government that is stripping people of freedom. When Muhammad Ali was drafted into the military, he refused to enlist, choosing rather to go to jail than participate in the Vietnam War. Ali did not agree with America’s participation in what he considered an unjust war, but also, he pointed out the hypocrisy of a nation that would require him to fight and possibly die for America, when America treated black people and Muslims (him being both), with such little dignity.

“My conscience won’t let me shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger. They never lynched me, they never put no dogs on me. The never robbed me of my nationality. Raped and killed my mother and father.”

In another interview he explained “ I’m not gon’ help nobody get something the negroes don’t have. If I’m gon’ die, I’ll die now, right here fighting you. You my enemy. My enemies are white people, not Viet Congs or Chinese or Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won’t even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs, and you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won’t even stand up for me here at home.”

Fallen soldiers are victims, not heroes Victims of a government that sends their young and poor to early graves All because old men are stuck in their ways Willing to sacrifice other people’s lives to maintain power and privilege

I am fully aware that many Americans have a deep respect for the military, having family members and significant others who have fought, died, were severely injured, or mentally scarred in combat. I want to be sensitive to their painful realities while at the same time calling out comforting but untrue cultural myths. I am not attacking soldiers who have already suffered, I am honoring them by speaking out against a government and cultural myths that lead to unnecessary pain or death for so many American soldiers and citizens of other nations. U.S. soldiers are victims of an overly militant nation who values power over the lives of its own. The American military unashamedly targets the young and the poor. To the young, they sell the idea of participating in something noble and heroic. With slogans like “the few, the proud, the mighty,” the military lures American youth with promises of a purposeful life. Everyone wants to do something great with their life. The sharpness of uniformed marines, the awe-inspiring commercials filled with fighter planes in formation and so on, is alluring to young people on a quest for adventure and meaning in life. Impoverished young Americans are targeted and recruited with promises of acquiring wealth and education. For kids whose families cannot afford college, or those who received a poor education due to their neighborhood, the military will lure them in with promises of a full-time salary and benefits, or the possibility of their college being paid for by the military. None of these promises matter if you die in combat. You must be alive to enjoy your wealth or utilize your college education. Even if you survive a war, many combat veterans are unable to successfully reintegrate into civilian life. The trauma of war is something no human should endure. Even if one believes war, in certain contexts, is justified, that does not stop the irreversible negative effects of combat. Soldiers who believed they fought for a just cause are still haunted by memories of watching their friends die. They are still often burdened with guilt of having taken human life. Many of them are sensitive to every clap and crashing sound, struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the rest of their lives. Of course, if you suffer so much, it is comforting to believe it was for a good reason, but often these conflicts simply protect the interests of those already in power. Most wars do not improve the lives or defend the freedom of the young and poor. Most wars protect the power and wealth of already privileged people. Privileged and powerful people are the ones with the ability to make war, thus, they make it primarily when they feel threatened. It is easy for them to do so, since they are seldom the ones actually fighting. They are “willing to sacrifice other people’s lives to maintain power and privilege.”

Running to war as a first resort Not creative enough to dream up other forms of conflict resolution Unless of course THEY are the terrorists The White knights lynching the innocent Police brutalizing the citizens Then they prefer peaceful protest Then they believe nonviolent resistance to evil is effective

War is not talked about as a necessary evil which must be avoided at all costs, it is glorified and celebrated in American culture. When the World Trade Center towers in New York City were destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001, both the American government and many American people immediately thought of violent retaliation. No alternative course of action was seriously considered. We didn’t even know who the enemy was, yet war was the answer. There was even a popular country song written only months later that celebrated this war-enthusiast mentality. Toby Keith sang,

"Now this nation that I love has fallen under attack. A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in from somewhere in the back. Soon as we could see clearly through our big black eye man we lit up your world like the fourth of July... Justice will be served and the battle will rageThis big dog will fight when you rattle his cage and you'll be sorry that you messed withThe U.S. of A. 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass, It's the American way. Well Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist And the eagle will fly, and it’s gonna be hell When you hear mother freedom start ringing her bell And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you Oh, brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue"

When it comes to international conflict, America will not hesitate to “put a boot in your ass” in the name of so-called justice. In this way of thinking, violence is justified and celebrated by the American government, especially when it is committed in response to a great injustice or act of terror.... “unless of course, they are the terrorists”. The same nation and government that cheers for violent retaliation to certain injustices, strongly rebukes and disdains any oppressed minority group within America that protests violently, and even nonviolently. Hypocrisy and racism is the only explanation for the disgust, resentment and hate directed towards people groups longing for equality, willing to violently rebel for it. White people however, are allowed to be violent. There is nothing but positive sentiments towards white american colonists who rebelled against their own government. Those who fought in the Revolutionary War are considered heroes in America, but minorities who show even the slightest amount of anger at their government for being oppressive are considered people of low morality, uncivilized and unamerican. For minorities, peaceful protest is the only justifiable form of protest, but even that will get you despised in America. Colin Kaepernick for example has had his character attacked and life threatened for non-violently protesting police brutality and institutional racism.

Sometimes I wonder if these wars were domestic Would they think twice about bombing enemy lairs in residential areasin Beverly Hills, in Time Square? If civilian casualties were their own wives and children would they be eager to wage warfare? Would they get better at diplomacy? Learn how to compromise? De-escalate tensions?

America has been at war in the middle east for decades. Our presence there has destroyed so many communities and taken so many civilian lives. But since this devastation is taking place on the other side of the world, it doesn’t feel like a tragic reality. Imagine if violence with death tolls similar to September 11th happened with regularity across America. Would people be calling for more war as their neighbors and friends and lovers and children routinely lost limbs and lives? If American military activities took place on american soil, I don’t think the people or the politicians of America would be so comfortable with the amount of civilian lives lost. Rapper Lupe Fiasco once got criticized for calling President Obama a terrorist or ordering drone strikes in the middle east. Lupe responded in his song “Ital” by rapping

"Called the president a terroristCorporate sponsors like, how the fuck you gon' embarrass us?Ain't my fault, I was just repeatin' thisProfessor Emeritus from AmericaBut my tone was like an Afghani kid without a homeBlew that bitch up with a droneAn Iraqi with no daddy, Palestinian throwing stonesThe fuck you think they call him? I'mma leave that all alone."

The heroic nature of America’s military endeavors likely do not seem so heroic from the perspective of middle eastern civilians whose communities have been routinely destroyed. We must learn to fight terror and injustice with something other than violence. Sadly, violence has been the American way for far too long on both sides of the political divide. Lupe Fiasco criticized violence under the leadership of Obama, and now with Trump in office, violence has been threatened and delivered with pride. The threat of nuclear war is being tossed around with carelessness on Trump’s twitter account while he has ordered tomahawk missiles and other violent actions to be used in various foreign conflicts. Again, even to one who believes in the possibility of just war, I would strongly discourage anyone from joining the military while the commander in chief is trigger happy and irresponsible with the lives of soldiers and citizens.

Learn to fight fire with water War with peace Stop spending billions on defense And pour resource into foreign aid education and disaster relief Make friends out of would-be enemies Fight evil with poetry Appoint Rappers as foreign ambassadors ‘Cause hip hop already united the atlas Middle-eastern kids bumpin’ Chance and Kendrick There is another way

War is an endless cycle with no winners. Humanity always loses. There are way to both prevent and respond to violence that foster diplomacy and peace. We must learn to stop fighting fire with fire and get creative with conflict resolution.

No disrespect to vets with post-traumatic stress or soldiers who lost their life But no one is a hero just ‘cause they fight I am not grateful your service I don’t know what you did on tour Even aside from possible war crimes I’m not sure if I believe in this war

But I am grateful you made it back alive I do pray you find peace for your war-torn mind I do pray you put down your weapon and realize You can fight for freedom without killing for it You can die for freedom without killing for it

That’s the only kind of freedom worth fighting for Worth dying for Worth living for But if you live by the sword…

I wanted to end the song by reiterating my sympathies for those who have suffered in war as soldiers. I do say suffered and not sacrificed, because sacrificed implies a worthy cause. There are few conflicts America has been involved in that one can even make a solid argument defending the military action. My prayer is for healing of mind, body, and souls of soldiers who fell victim to a pro-war culture. Ironically, the same culture that encourages soldiers to enlist often has very little sympathy for them when they are no longer soldiers. In Season 1 of “Humans of New York: The Series”, the episode entitled “Help” features an interview with a wounded veteran with a cardboard sign. The man expresses frustrations with the American public who seems so ungrateful for his sacrifice.

“They walk around right now, so softly, laughing. You know, giggling, looking at me as if I’m nothing. But they don’t realize that the ability that they have to walk around, I gave a knee and an ankle for. You know what I’m saying? I gave a hand for their ability to look at me and call me a bum. Or look at me and think that I don’t work because I don’t want to. So that’s the cost I paid. I paid with my body. I paid with my heart. I paid with my time for people that really don’t even appreciate it. That’s my biggest struggle.”

This American veteran is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he was lied to. He was told he could become a hero, but even pro-war Americans only consider soldiers heroes in theory. Where is the hero’s welcome for the homeless veteran with missing body parts? This particular individual thought he was fighting for the freedom of all Americans, and thus believes he is being wronged when the

American public does not appreciate him or sympathize with his predicament. The reality is, soldiers fight for the interests of a few privileged people, and when they are no longer able to fight, they are considered disposable by the same government that wooed them to war. America has no guilty conscience about the scores of veterans holding cardboard signs on street corners across the nation. A nation addicted to war does not only destroy its enemies, it destroys itself. It destroys its conscience, it destroys its ability to empathize with any human life; friend, foe, even its own soldiers and citizens. For individuals and nations alike, the words of Christ ring true, “all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

Live by the sword Die by the sword Say you want peace But forever make war Freedom ain’t free Better aim for the core But freedom ain’t freedom If you killin’ the poor (3x)

Top of the food chain american white male walks into a concert Unleashes the hell brewing inside his ruinous mind body and soul Got bodies hittin the floor Pandemonium broke Under investigation Seemingly unprovoked No religious affiliation rhyme reason or motive Everybody cryin’ and wonderin how and why But if we keepin’ it real it’s happening all the time Top of the food chain american white male walks into a Church, theatre, school, mall, or crowd In the name of nothin’ he unleashes the hell brewing inside his privilege pride and prejudice Media call him crazy but really it’s curious Mental illness exists everywhere on the globe But only in America is every 24 hours another mass shooting Now we havin’ mass Light a candle Thoughts and prayers But God is not gassed Prayin’ but hold fast to gun rights and cash You made off the goose who lays golden gats Glorified war and self-defense myths A culture of violence A cycle of death But nothin’s gone change if the tickets still sell ‘Cause everybody loves an Al Capone tale, From Hollywood films to these military planes flying over the field at an NFL game Murder is a patriot as red white and blue Apple pie all American and lucrative too Big stick politics What you gon’ do Top of the food chain and the only way to stay is to have a bigger gun and be unafraid to spray Trickle down from the white house To the mind of an everyday American with murder in his eye Paranoid when you be the king of the hill Do they kill because they crazy or crazy because they kill Top of the food chain american white male has gained the whole world and lost his own POOOOWWWWWW

4 - Top of the Food Chain

Top of the food chain american white male walks into a concert Unleashes the hell brewing inside his ruinous mind body and soul Got bodies hittin the floor Pandemonium broke Under investigation Seemingly unprovoked No religious affiliation rhyme reason or motive

I wrote this song three days after the October 1st, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Stephen Paddock, an American white male, open fired at a crowd of concert attendees. He wounded over 500 people, killing 58 of them. Authorities were dumbfounded. As the investigation unfolded, they were struggling to find what they considered a motive for the heinous crime.

Everybody cryin’ and wonderin how and why But if we keepin’ it real it’s happening all the time Top of the food chain american white male walks into a Church, theatre, school, mall, or crowd In the name of nothin’ he unleashes the hell brewing inside his privilege pride and prejudice

Whenever mass shootings like the one in Las Vegas occur, the nation seems to be in disbelief. But in America, that sense of disbelief is dishonest. I wrote this song just three days after the Las Vegas shooting, yet the lyrics accurately foreshadowed a grim reality. We can pretend to be surprised if we want, “but if we keepin’ it real, it’s happening all the time.” Just over a month later, Devin Patrick Kelley, another seemingly unprovoked American white male walked into a church in the small town of Sutherland Springs, Texas and open fired on church members, killing 26 people.

Media call him crazy but really it’s curious Mental illness exists everywhere on the globe But only in America is every 24 hours another mass shooting Now we havin’ mass Light a candle Thoughts and prayers But God is not gassed

In both the Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs shootings, nearly all major news outlets quickly reported suspicion of mental illness on behalf of the shooter. In the second instance, the shooter did have a history of mental illness. However, the existence of mental illness does not explain how or why these type of shootings happen so regularly in America. Mental illness exists everywhere on planet earth. According to the New York Times article “What Explains U.S. Mass Shootings” by Max Fisher and Josh Keller, “If mental health made the difference, then data would show that Americans have more mental health problems than do people in other countries with fewer mass shootings. But the mental health care spending rate in the United States, the number of mental health professionals per capita and the rate of severe mental disorders are all in line with those of other wealthy countries.” Mental health is not the problem. When defined as “four or more people shot in one incident, not including the shooter”, major news outlets including CBS and CNN have reported GunViolenceArchive.org’s findings that the U.S. experiences a mass shooting every single day. This is a uniquely American problem. Politicians across the political spectrum routinely express condolences, “thoughts and prayers” for the victims and their families, but very little has been done to address how these shootings might be prevented.

Prayin’ but hold fast to gun rights and cash You made off the goose who lays golden gats Glorified war and self-defense myths A culture of violence A cycle of death But nothin’s gone change if the tickets still sell ‘Cause everybody loves an Al Capone tale, From Hollywood films to these military planes flying over the field at an NFL game Murder is a patriot as red white and blue Apple pie all American and lucrative too

How can many of the same politicians who claim to grieve the loss of innocent life turn around and defend what has proven to be deadly gun policies? The answer: culture and money. More specifically, a culture whose moral compass points towards money. American culture loves guns. We love movies and video games with guns, we love the heroic images of soldier holding guns. We love the ability to own multiple guns. We insist that gun ownership is a human right and anyone trying to take our guns away is trying to take our freedom away. In some skewed reality, some people believe, the more guns we have, the more free we are. The Fisher and Keller article quoted earlier states that “Americans make up about 4.4 percent of the global population but own 42 percent of the world’s guns.” 270 million guns to be exact. Those guns require ammunition, upkeep and repair. Not to mention the pro-gun bumper stickers, t shirts and mugs. Guns are a lucrative industry that The National Rifle Association aggressively defends, no matter how many innocent lives are lost.

“‘In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate,’ Dan Hodges, a British journalist, wrote in a post on Twitter two years ago, referring to the 2012 attack that killed 20 young students at an elementary school in Connecticut. ‘Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over’ ” (Fisher and Keller).

Big stick politics What you gon’ do Top of the food chain and the only way to stay is to have a bigger gun and be unafraid to spray Trickle down from the white house To the mind of an everyday American with murder in his eye Paranoid when you be the king of the hill Do they kill because they crazy or crazy because they kill Top of the food chain american white male has gained the whole world and lost his own POOOOWWWWWW

If there is a mass shooting everyday in America, surely not all the shooters are white men, why then do I repeatedly emphasize “American white male” shooters in a song addressing gun violence? First, it is necessary to acknowledge what others often have, that whenever there is a mass shooting in America, the race of the shooter has a significant impact on how these shootings are reported. If the shooter is a person of color, they are described in the most aggressive and unflattering language possible. Particularly, if the person is Middle-Eastern and identifies as Muslim, it is immediately considered an act of terror, not an unfortunate tragedy by a mentally unstable person. Yet there have been dozens of religious white shooters, like Dylan Roof who believed himself to be a Christian, and believe his actions were pleasing to God, yet he was not painted as a Christian terrorist. Most white male shooters, whether officially diagnosed or not, are described as being depressed or mentally unstable, as was the case with Stephen Paddock, the white male shooter who inspired “top of the food chain”. I rapped, the “media call him crazy”, but if he was a person of color, he may have been named a monster, gangster, or terrorist instead of mentally unstable.

But back to the question, if mass shooters come from every cultural background, why do I focus on “american white male” shooters in a song about gun violence? I find it fascinating that so often, with white male shooters, authorities conclude that the shootings were unprovoked and without a clear motive. I disagree. Just because the victims are seemingly random and haven’t personally offended the shooter, just because the shooter has no strong affiliation with a party or religion, does not mean the violence is without motive or purpose. The fact that there is a trend of white male mass shooters with no motive should cause us to raise an eyebrow. In America, white men are at the top of the food chain. White men possess the positions of power in nearly every pillar of society, from government, to Wall Street, to Hollywood etc. But one can be “paranoid when you be the king of the hill.” When you rule things, there is a constant fear of losing your power. Even for those who aren’t actually presidents, governors, CEOs or leaders of anything, there is a myth of white american supremacy for every white man, and a very real fear of losing that supremacy. How do you create a sense of security in your position at the top of the food chain? As President Teddy Roosevelt once said concerning his foreign relations policy, “speak softly and carry a big stick.” In other words, be a bully. Maintain your spot at the top by superficial politeness and a constant threat of incredible violence. During investigations, many of the white male shooters are described as soft spoken, shy, average Joes, and yet they lash out in murderous tantrums at seemingly random times. I do not believe these killings are random and motiveless. It is the same reason the elementary school bully will randomly terrorize their classmates. As adults, we look back and see that the bully was actually the most sensitive and insecure child on the playground. The random acts of terror were to instill fear and cheap respect in other kids while masking the bullies own insecurities. Likewise, when insecure white men with superiority complexes are under stress, they take lives. Anyones’ lives. What greater display of power is there than indiscriminate killing? Even if it cost the shooter their life, they went down in a blaze of glory, exerting their incredible power. This is the same logic employed by young white soldiers who eagerly join the military, ready to die flexing America’s muscles, wagging America’s big stick. The only way to stay at the top of the food chain is to have the biggest stick, and you must use it every now and then so people know you’re serious.

I end the song by quoting words of Jesus in Mark 8:36, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

Top of the food chain american white male has gained the whole world and lost his own POOOOWWWWWW

By the end of this verseYou gon’ need antisepticThese words slice nervesHope you know that it’s bless-edBe the wounds of friends over enemy kissesCan’t schmooze and front after all these offensesI been educatin’ with inspirational truthBut times like this I spit straight rebukesReligious hypocrites white american pastorsSpoke of integrity, purity when they blastedPresident Bill Clinton Back in 90 and 8But support a chauvinistic prideful bigot todayI wonder what they would say if Donald J. was a DemocratMoral compass point to where the power and the money atWhitewashed tombs only fools could ignoreHow the very same Lord that you claim to adoreReserved the harsh words for people just like youWho quoted all the scripture but was blind to the truthTravelin’ overseas and you proselytizeJust to raise up mini me-s twice as evil insideTokenizin’ the prophets like Dr. Martin the KingWhen your fathers were the mockers tellin’ him not to dreamYou evil brood of vipers shed the blood of the righteousYou should fear the wrath of God but you talkin’ bout ISISThe house of prayer should be inviting to every nationBut you filled it with thievesTime to turn these tables

I’m sorry if this come as a surpriseI was never here to give you what you likeI was never here to tickle your earsAnd make you feel all kinda warm fuzzy insideI pray I never do this for applauseAnd neither do I try to piss ‘em offI’m committed to the truthIf they love it or they booI don’t pay no mind I answer to the LordMessiah tried to warn us on GodSaid they blind even though they got eyes‘Cause they threw him a paradethen a couple more daysthey was cryin’ for him to be crucifiedGuarantee we gonna see a lot of hateif we followin’ the leader of The WayAnd we prolly see it mostfrom the very same folks who sayGlory Hallelujah all day

Gotta remember who you answer toWho you write the anthems toWho you raise ya hands toWho dat Propaganda dudeWho be curing cancerWho carry the answersWho can unlock the dancersWho be givin’ stanzasCame to scorch the ground and make vegetation springI ain’t scared of hate mailThe conqueror singsI ain’t made of paper mâché I fortified my brainI ain’t scared of painI understand my laneGadflyAgitatorUnderratedUnder radarUnder minerUnderlingUnder the anointingI ‘ont check my DMs I answer to a deityAin’t worried ‘bout no per diemCall it like I see ‘em

My fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailOh well Oh well

Separation of the Church and state is writtenin our laws with the freedom of religionPlus you claim that our nation has biblical foundationsFascinating, let me ask you somethin’ ChristianIf you think a Muslim is your enemyand your Savior say to love your enemiesthen you ain’t got no excuse and I really am confusedwhy you wanna ban Islamic RefugeesIf the Bible say you s’pose to love your neighborAnd to be hospitable even to strangerstell me why most of your friends go the very same skinyou don’t even know the people you afraid ofThe crazy thing about it all to meJesus was a middle-eastern refugeeMama Africa embraced himbut America so racistbaby Jesus woulda been a casualty, Oh well

Woah Micah woahWoah Micah woah

We we liked you better when you wasn’t so boldLaugh Micah laughLaugh Micah laughWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so mad

Chill Micah chillChill Micah chillWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so real

Rap Micah rapBut not about thatWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so BLACK

By the end of this verseYou gon’ need antisepticThese words slice nervesHope you know that it’s bless-edBe the wounds of friends over enemy kissesCan’t schmooze and front after all these offensesI been educatin’ with inspirational truthBut times like this I spit straight rebukes

The tone of this song and album thus far is aggressive. This however is not coming from a place of bitterness or hate. It is coming from a place of righteous anger and love. Over the past few years, I’ve witnessed many people whom I consider friends stand for things that are unquestionably unjust. This is particularly painful when those friends claim to share a common Christian faith with me. I believe it is the Christian’s responsibility to correct each other when we see someone straying from the truth. Correction and accountability is often painful, but I “hope you know that it’s bless-ed be the wounds of friends over enemy kisses.” This lyric is a paraphrase from the Hebrew book of wisdom, Proverbs 27:6 which says “faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” I believe it is far better to openly contest someone in love, than smile in their face while secretly considering them your enemy.

Religious hypocrites white american pastorsSpoke of integrity, purity when they blastedPresident Bill Clinton Back in 90 and 8But support a chauvinistic prideful bigot todayI wonder what they would say if Donald J. was a DemocratMoral compass point to where the power and the money at

The hypocrisy in the religious right is blatant. There is a superficial emphasis on morality, but that morality is selectively emphasised on certain issues and for certain people. When it is and and isn’t emphasized seems to be dictated by the retention of power and money more than anything else. For example, when Bill Clinton, a democrat, was president, he committed adultery as well as lied under oath. The conservative Christian right would not stop broadcasting his wrongs. They called him sexually immoral, a liar who lacked integrity, unsuitable to be president, and for months they called for his impeachment. Yet during Trump’s campaign and eventual presidency, he was caught bragging about adulterous escapades in shockingly vulgar language. He has been caught in lie after lie, shows zero integrity, has a short temper, verbally attacking anyone who disagrees with him. Despite all this, he still receives incredible support from the conservative Christian right. How can Trump, who is is far more vulgar than Clinton ever was, received support from a group of people so concerned with morality? Because Trump is a republican while Clinton is a democrat. By supporting Trump and his policies, the conservative right remains in power. It is clear that they are willing to sacrifice their convictions in order to maintain power. They are willing to support immoral leaders that protect their position and wealth. They do this all while believing they are being moral and faithful to their version of the Christian God. To support immorality is one thing, to support immorality while claiming your support of it is the godly thing to do, is a fearful offense to God.

Whitewashed tombs only fools could ignoreHow the very same Lord that you claim to adoreReserved the harsh words for people just like youWho quoted all the scripture but was blind to the truthTravelin’ overseas and you proselytizeJust to raise up mini me-s twice as evil insideTokenizin’ the prophets like Dr. Martin the KingWhen your fathers were the mockers tellin’ him not to dreamYou evil brood of vipers shed the blood of the righteousYou should fear the wrath of God but you talkin’ bout ISISThe house of prayer should be inviting to every nationBut you filled it with thievesTime to turn these tables

Jesus’ greatest opposers were not stereotypically bad people. They were not gang members, alcoholics, or sexually promiscuous people that societies often look down upon. Jesus’ greatest opposers were hypocritical hyper religious leaders who felt threatened by Christ. They believed the things Jesus preached and did might undermine their positions of power. They said, “If we let [Jesus] go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:48). The parallels between Jesus’ opposers and the religious right in America are so very clear. Thee following lyrics are inspired by Matthew chapter 23 where Jesus confronts his opposition.

Whitewashed tombs only fools could ignoreHow the very same Lord that you claim to adoreReserved the harsh words for people just like youWho quoted all the scripture but was blind to the truth

Jesus said “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28).

Travelin’ overseas and you proselytizeJust to raise up mini me-s twice as evil inside

Jesus said “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves” (Matthew 23:15).

Tokenizin’ the prophets like Dr. Martin the KingWhen your fathers were the mockers tellin’ him not to dream

Jesus said “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would have not taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers” (Matthew 23:29-32).

You evil brood of vipers shed the blood of the righteousYou should fear the wrath of God but you talkin’ bout ISIS

Jesus said “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth” (Matthew 23:33-35).

The house of prayer should be inviting to every nationBut you filled it with thievesTime to turn these tables

This is a reference to another time where Jesus was confronting religious hypocrites in the temple of God. “And [Jesus] overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, ‘Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers’ ” (Mark 11:15-17).

I’m sorry if this come as a surpriseI was never here to give you what you likeI was never here to tickle your earsAnd make you feel all kinda warm fuzzy inside

Particularly with artists and preachers alike, there is this backwards idea that they exist to inspire, entertain and please their audience. I do hope to inspire, but that inspiration will not always be pleasant. I work towards excellence at my craft, and sometimes people will enjoy it, but my purpose has never been to entertain or please my audience. My aim has always been faithfulness to the truth. Often that means I must challenge, disturb, wake up, and push people out of their comfort zone. The line “I was never here to tickle your ears” is a reference to 2nd Timothy 4:3-4 which says “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

I pray I never do this for applauseAnd neither do I try to piss ‘em offI’m committed to the truthIf they love it or they booI don’t pay no mind I answer to the Lord

I pray I never tailor my message to popular opinions in order to gain commercial success. I hope people like my work, but I do not make things for them to be liked. Likewise I am not afraid to offend people, however I do not create art in order to offend people. I create what I believe is the necessary message for the time, and I try to give little weight to whether it is critically acclaimed or criticized. The lyric “I don’t pay no mind, I answer to the Lord” is a reference to a song on my previous album “No Ugly Babies.” The first song on that album was called “I Don’t Pay No Mind.” I sing, “I don’t pay no mind to no hate, ain’t no need to fright, love is on my side. I don’t pay no mind to no hate”.

Messiah tried to warn us on GodSaid they blind even though they got eyes‘Cause they threw him a paradethen a couple more daysthey was cryin’ for him to be crucified

Jesus sent his followers out preaching a message of hope and love, yet he warned them that they would often be rejected and misunderstood. “This is why I speak to [the people] in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). In fact, the same community that welcomed Jesus into the city of Jerusalem with a parade (Matthew 21:8-10), would only a week later call for his crucifixion (Matthew 27:22-26). Interestingly, the same message that earned him praise and popularity also lead to his death. Anyone committed to the truth and justice of God will find themselves both hated and celebrated, we should not allow this to distract or discourage us from doing what needs to be done, or saying what needs to be said.

Guarantee we gonna see a lot of hateif we followin’ the leader of The WayAnd we prolly see it mostfrom the very same folks who sayGlory Hallelujah all day

Criticism and resistance is guaranteed for the faithful follower of Jesus. Christ said, “ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you,” speaking to his disciples (John 15:20). The last line is another reminder that the greatest resistance often comes from those claiming to be godly people, just like Jesus’ greatest critics were people who deemed themselves the holiest people around, holier than Jesus himself.

My fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailOh well Oh well

The chorus has a carefree tone to it, emphasizing my lack of concern with the changing reactions to my messages. These days I find my work being celebrated less and less, and criticized more and more. To which I say… oh well.

[PROPAGANDA’S VERSE]

Gotta remember who you answer toWho you write the anthems toWho you raise ya hands toWho dat Propaganda dudeWho be curing cancerWho carry the answersWho can unlock the dancersWho be givin’ stanzasCame to scorch the ground and make vegetation springI ain’t scared of hate mailThe conqueror sings

Propaganda speaks to the importance of focus. When we fix our minds on the authority of God, the love of God, when we remember who we raise our hands and sing our songs for, when we remember the power of God to perform miracles, when we consider that God created us and knows us by name, we are no longer intimidated by those who might scorn us for being faithful to the call of God on our lives. Obviously, those who benefit from injustice will be critical of prophetic voices that call for the dismantling of unjust systems. Propaganda say he “came to scorch the ground and make vegetation spring.” The scorching of the ground is not one of condemnation, but a burning up of what was already dead in order to make room for the new life God desires to bring about on earth, in human societies, and in individual hearts. When God called the prophet Jeremiah to speak, similar imagery was used to describe his mission. “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant’” (Jeremiah 1:9-10).

I ain’t made of paper mâché I fortified my brainI ain’t scared of painI understand my laneGadflyAgitatorUnderratedUnder radarUnder minerUnderlingUnder the anointingI ‘ont check my DMs I answer to a deityAin’t worried ‘bout no per diemCall it like I see ‘em

Propaganda knows who he is and knows who he isn’t. He expresses confidence knowing that his mind is fortified, firmly rooted in the truth of God. His identity is also secure, being aware of his role in this world, he has fully embraced it. He understands that his job is to be an “agitator” and “under-miner,” disrupting the unjust systems of this world. He also understand that he does this while being “underrated” and “under radar”. In other words, he does not receive much recognition, neither does he need it to validate his work, because he does his work “under the anointing” of God. When God has anointed you to do something, it doesn’t matter how many likes you get on a selfie, or how much love or hate you get in your Instagram Direct Messages. Propaganda says, in fact, he doesn’t even bother checking them. “I don’t check my DMs, I answer to a deity.” Per Diem is a latin term meaning day by day. It refers to a daily allowance or payment. Money is often the most persuasive temptation to compromise one’s convictions. Propaganda ends his verse by saying, not even money, or the loss of it, will stop him from calling it like he sees it. He’s committed to speaking the truth when necessary. “Ain’t worried ‘bout no per diem. Call it like I see ‘em.”

My fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailMy fan mail is turnin’ to hate mailOh well Oh well

Separation of the Church and state is writtenin our laws with the freedom of religionPlus you claim that our nation has biblical foundationsFascinating, let me ask you somethin’ ChristianIf you think a Muslim is your enemyand your Savior say to love your enemiesthen you ain’t got no excuse and I really am confusedwhy you wanna ban Islamic RefugeesIf the Bible say you s’pose to love your neighborAnd to be hospitable even to strangerstell me why most of your friends go the very same skinyou don’t even know the people you afraid of

Patriotic conservative american affirms the necessary democratic principles of separation of Church and state, along with the freedom of religion, yet at the same time, many of those same conservatives believe that America was founded on Biblical principles and remains (and in their opinion ought to remain) culturally, a Christian nation. Freedom of religion is incredibly important in American history, as the first Europeans to immigrate to North America were pilgrims fleeing religious persecution by the state-polluted Anglican Church. We know from so many examples in history, whenever religious power gets in bed with political power, it ends up compromising the purposes of both the government and the religious institutions. All truly democratic societies must allow for freedom of religion. Yet there is such prejudice and fear of Islam, the same people who affirm freedom of religion for themselves, will support policies that refuse immigrants and refugees entrance into America based on their religion. The justification is the threat of extreme Islamic terrorism. Yet many of the refugees being refused entry are infants, young children, and women with no history of extremism. In fact, in many cases, they themselves are the victims of Islamic extremism. To stereotype the 1.6 billion humans who practice Islam, as all potential terrorists is ignorant, unjust and erodes our democracy. I say all this not considering the even higher calling of a Christ-follower.

For the Christian conservative who insists that America was built on biblical principles, what biblical principles do they mean exactly? Even if a Christian is convinced that all Muslims are their enemy, the Bible commands Christians to love their enemies. Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven...For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even [the godless] do the same?” I would ask every Christian who sees Islamic people as their enemy, in what ways specifically are you seeking to love them as Christ commanded? Also, in what ways are you seeking to live out the other biblical principles of welcoming the orphan, the widow, the stranger and alien? The Bible commands us to do this over and over and over. Here are only a handful of examples below.

Leviticus 19:34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 10: 19 You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 27:19 'Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.

Matthew 25: 35 I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Are these the biblical principles America was built upon? Is this the Bible the conservative Christian believes in? If so, there is zero justification for the posture the religious right has taken towards Islamic refugees and immigrants of color from all over the world.

The crazy thing about it all to meJesus was a middle-eastern refugeeMama Africa embraced himbut America so racistbaby Jesus woulda been a casualty, Oh well

The irony is, the very Christ that conservative Christians claim to worship was a religious minority and a middle eastern refugee. While Jesus was a young child, his parents fled to Egypt to preserve his life. “ Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him’” (Matthew 2:13). What if Egyptian authorities took the advice of the American religious right and closed their borders to Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child? Thankfully they did not. In the last line of verse three, I call out America for its racism instead of religious discrimination. I believe these issue are overlapping. The prejudice against Islamic refugees is a religious discrimination indeed, but it has very clear overtones of racism as well. Even in conservative circles, racism (at least on a superficial level) is more frowned upon than fear of Islam. It just so happens that Islam is most prevalent in Arab nations. It’s more acceptable to say “ban muslims” than it is to say “ban Arabs”. But the heart of this prejudice is revealed when conservative Americans discriminate, verbally and physically attack anyone who in their minds, appear to be muslim; meaning, anyone who resembles a middle-eastern skin tone. This includes Arab American Christians, Atheists. Indian Sikhs, Indian Americans, any middle eastern or Indian immigrant etc. There is little effort to confirm someone’s religious affiliation with Islam before the hate is directed towards them, because in the end, there is little difference between being a middle-eastern Christian immigrant/refugee and a middle eastern Muslim immigrant/refugee. Neither one is welcomed or wanted in America by the far religious right, because they are both brown skinned strangers.

Woah Micah woahWoah Micah woah

We we liked you better when you wasn’t so boldLaugh Micah laughLaugh Micah laughWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so mad

Chill Micah chillChill Micah chillWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so real

Rap Micah rapBut not about thatWe we liked you better when you wasn’t so BLACK

This closing bridge is in response to some people who have followed my art for years, but have recently found my messages too aggressive, or too biased by my ethnicity. My ethnic identity has always been a significant part of my work, as one of my oldest and most popular poems, “Normal Hair” dismantles western culture’s assumptions of normal (aka white). The poem however addresses issue of race gently through humor. My current tone is not gentle or funny. I believe there is a time for firm rebukes. After observing the blatant ignorance and hate being supported by the Christian community in America, I believe it is not a time for laughter or gentle explanations. It is not a time for me to be chill. I will be unapologetically black as I speak the truth of God who unapologetically created me black.

Forever feel like we on a treadmill Sweatin’ buckets runnin’ hard but stuck in the same spot My God we been faithful in squalor and grief Such a miracle our people’s stubborn hope and belief They murder us in the street They murder us in the pew We show you the way of Jesus Forgivin’ you Dylan Roofs But still so many treat us like a stereotype Y’all don’t wanna see the truth It could cost you ya life Or maybe just your position A stain on your reputation A smidget of inconvenience But really only your privilege It’s like they so afraid of power equality But we don’t want revenge, we only wanna be free Ain’t tryin’ to rape your daughters or throw your sons into prison Don’t want your babies trapped in the ghetto and malnutritioned Don’t want you to feel ugly for bein’ a different color And neither do we want it for our sistas and our brothas

No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much? No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much to want Is that too much to want? Is that too much to want? Is that too much that too much Is that too much to want?

They call us lazy now Just like the massa back in the day And promise fewer beatings if we cower and obey Ain’t tryin’ to get promoted from field to house slave I wanna get out wit’ Moses on dat underground train Done lost my way if I rise to the top of an exploitive system unjust and corrupt I seen what American Dreamin’ do to ya soul Don’t let me be sedated by the power and the gold Too many revolutionaries make a little dough Then forget all of the people they was advocatin’ fo’ I’m livin’ in the kingdom where meek run the show Great clean the feet of the weak and the po’ I swear we never wanted what you think we comin’ fo’ We see it isn’t workin’ so we take another road

No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much? No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much to want Is that too much to want? Is that too much to want? Is that too much that too much Is that too much to want?

To be silent in an age of corruption Is to be violent towards those the system is stacked against To be silent in an age of corruption is to be violent against myself Which is somethin’ I will not do I will be disruptive I am not too loud I am not too angry I am not too Black I don’t want too much I am not too much I am not too much I am not too much

My people be feisty Don’t tell us to ask nicely Only demandin’ what belongs to us rightly Many Whites be frontin’ like they want peace But they just want us quiet when we murdered by police What if we handled beef like our commander in chief Droppin’ Tomahawk missiles on LAPD Sent some revolutionaries to invade DC Kill a corrupt King with his entire regime Then counted all their babies as civilian casualties Tell their widows that we did it in the name of peace You only make war wit’ big bombs and guns If you livin’ by the sword you gon’ die by one You don’t gotta get deployed if you POC Everybody from the hood got PTSD Every color folk ever been the sole representative in a classroom At a church, at our binesses We know how to flip a warzone to a feast How to inhale hate exhale with peace.

2 - Too Much?

Forever feel like we on a treadmill Sweatin’ buckets runnin’ hard but stuck in the same spot My God we been faithful in squalor and grief Such a miracle our people’s stubborn hope and belief

I am often in awe of the resilience of the African American community. Concerning race relations in America, the nation often takes one step forward, two steps back. For example, the Civil War lead to the end of slavery. It seemed that black people might actually have a chance of becoming equal members of american society. During the post Civil War era known as “Reconstruction”, black people were making strides. Michelle Alexander explains in her book “The New Jim Crow”, “ African Americans began to vote in large numbers and seize control, in some areas, of the local political apparatus. Literacy rates climbed, and educated blacks began to populate legislatures, open schools, and initiate successful businesses. In 1867, at the dawn of the Reconstruction Era, no black man held political office in the South, yet three years later, at least 15 percent of all southern elected officials were black” (Alexander, 29). Sadly, these victories were short lived. Racist politicians put a screeching halt to black progress by legalizing discrimination, segregation, and stripping black people of the right to vote. This was accompanied by terrorization of black citizens through beatings and lynchings. W.E.B. Du Bois said, “the slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.” This is not just a trend in history, but also the present.The feeling of being on a treadmill to nowhere was most recently felt when the same nation that elected their first black leader in history, President Obama, followed that by electing a racist, Trump. Yet, through all of this, we continue to have stubborn hope and faith. We keep on keepin’ on. We fight the good fight, make progress inch by inch, and are often recognized for our unexplainable ability to have hope and exuberant joy through it all.

They murder us in the street They murder us in the pew We show you the way of Jesus Forgivin’ you Dylan Roofs

There is a lie that justifies the killing of black people. The lie says that black people invite, and some believe, deserve, the violence committed against them by refusing to assimilate. If only black people would conform to white american standards, stop dressing or talking or acting so “ghetto”, so “black”, then they would have more opportunities, be seen as less threatening and get killed less often. The problem is, this has never been true. If you observe photos from the Civil Rights Movement, black people were often wearing their Sunday best as they were being harassed, beaten, and discriminated against. In recent history, hate-filled americans like Dylan Roof did not target black stereotypes like gang members or dope dealers. Instead, on June 17, 2015, he went to Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston South Carolina and senselessly murdered 9 morally upright black people as they worshiped God. Hate, white supremacy, and institutional racism will “murder us in the street”, and just as quickly “murder us in the pew”. In a jaw-dropping display of love and forgiveness, family members of victims further shattered stereotypes of angry and bitter black people by publicly extending forgiveness to the remorseless Roof. Dan Simmons Jr, son of the slain Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr. said to Roof “I forgive you. I know that you don't understand that, but God requires me to forgive you. I forgive you. He also requires me to plead and pray for you, and I do that.” Felicia Sanders, whose son Tywanza was killed in the shooting said to Roof, “I forgive you. That’s the easiest thing I had to do… May God have mercy on your soul.”

But still so many treat us like a stereotype Y’all don’t wanna see the truth It could cost you ya life Or maybe just your position A stain on your reputation A smidget of inconvenience But really only your privilege

Despite countless examples like the loving and forgiving members of Emanuel A.M.E. Church, black people cannot seem to shake the negative stereotypes used to justify our oppression. The truth is intentionally ignored and stereotypes reinforced through many avenues of society. For those who belong to the ruling class and culture, acknowledging these injustices comes at a price. It could isolate you from your peers who deny the existence of white privilege while enjoying its comforts. It could cost you the comforts of privilege. But once your conscience is woken to these issues, it should not be a choice, but rather duty. It has often been said that the loss of privilege feels like oppression. When you are accustomed to having more than your fair share, equality feels like you’re losing something that belongs to you. Many would rather believe lies to maintain their comforts, than sacrifice their privilege in the name of truth and justice.

It’s like they so afraid of power equality But we don’t want revenge, we only wanna be free Ain’t tryin’ to rape your daughters or throw your sons into prison Don’t want your babies trapped in the ghetto and malnutritioned Don’t want you to feel ugly for bein’ a different color And neither do we want it for our sistas and our brothas

Another reason why some privileged people are reluctant to give up their power is the fear of retaliation. If minorities gain more power, whose to say they might not try to get even for centuries of oppression? If black people truly sought revenge for all the injustices both past and present, America would be in trouble. But this has never been our aim. The black american experience is indescribably painful at times. The last thing black folks want is for others to go through what we go through. In his book “No Future Without Forgiveness”, Bishop Desmond Tutu talks about the end of Apartheid in South Africa. During the election which eventually made Nelson Mandela the president of South Africa, many white south africans were afraid of governmental power being placed back in the hands of black people. They feared white people might become the target of revenge. This was not at all the case.

The Bishop wrote,

“what a profound scientific discovery, that blacks, Coloreds (usually people of mixed race), and Indians were in fact human beings, who had the same concerns and anxieties and aspirations. They wanted a decent home, a good job, a safe environment for their families, good schools for their children, and almost none wanted to drive the whites into the sea. They just wanted their place in the sun” (Tutu,7).

Throughout all of black history, there has never been a serious movement that sought revenge, promoted the enslavement of white people, the raping of white women, lynching and mass incarceration of white men, labor discrimination and exploitation, or academic exclusion of white children. “We don’t want revenge, we only wanna be free.” Is that too much to want?

No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much? No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much to want Is that too much to want? Is that too much to want? Is that too much that too much Is that too much

We’ve had a black president. What more do we want? Equality. Though there has definitely been progress made, we are still a long ways away from racial equality in America. Conservative media paints black activists as delusional boys who cry racism. But anyone who takes a serious look at the institutions of american society can clearly see severe inequalities between white communities and communities of color. We will not be shamed into silence, we will not be satisfied with simply facing less prejudice than past generations. Equality is not too much to ask.

They call us lazy now Just like the massa back in the day And promise fewer beatings if we cower and obey Ain’t tryin’ to get promoted from field to house slave I wanna get out wit’ Moses on dat underground train

This is an example of victim blaming and another reference to the false idea that black people need to assimilate in order to improve our conditions. Presently, the poverty in the black community is often blamed on the laziness of black people instead of institutional racism that keeps us locked out of opportunities to grow wealth. Similarly, during slavery, black people were constantly blamed for their own oppression. Masters told slaves they were lazy, inferior creatures. Their alleged laziness was used as an excuse to beat them into obedience and submission . A hard-working, obedient slave might possibly rise in the ranks of the oppressed, avoiding being whipped and be moved from hard labor in the field, to being a house slave who washed dishes or mopped floors. But the ambitious slave does not aspire to be a higher ranking slave, they aspire to be free. Similarly today, ambitious black people do not aspire to submit, obey and assimilate in hopes of being treated better by those oppressing us. We desire freedom. We desire the ability to excel without assimilating our culture or creativity. The goal is to escape the entire system, not become more comfortable in our oppression. When I rap “I wanna get out wit’ Moses on dat underground train”, I am referencing both Jewish history and black american history. According to Jewish scriptures, Moses lead the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. Because of the parallels, Moses became the nickname of Harriet Tubman, a former american slave who lead scores of runaway slaves to freedom via a network of secret safe houses known as The Underground Railroad. Don’t be a house slave. Be a runaway slave. Don’t assimilate. Escape.

Done lost my way if I rise to the top of an exploitive system unjust and corrupt I seen what American Dreamin’ do to ya soul Don’t let me be sedated by the power and the gold Too many revolutionaries make a little dough Then forget all of the people they was advocatin’ fo’

The American Dream says that anyone who tries hard enough can make something of themselves. But many hard working people of color work tirelessly and remain in poverty. Tracy Jan of the Washington Post reported that 1 in 7 white american families are millionaires. For black families, the number is 1 in 50. It is possible for a select few people of color to rise high in various realms of american society. But this is often not without cost and compromise. Though some individuals have gained wealth while maintaining their integrity, most people, white and minorities alike will not reach such heights unless they play by the rules of the system. The system was built to produce incredible inequalities, and it does. Be it assimilation, illegal or unethical production methods, discriminatory hiring practices, sexual exploitation of women in advertisements, perpetuation of stereotypical images of people of color, there are certain decisions that will lead to greater wealth at the cost of your integrity. B.E.T. for example has produced dozens of black millionaires, but they have done so by often promoting artists and art that perpetuates negative and stereotypical depictions of black people. This wealth then becomes blood money. Many entrepreneurs and creatives of color start out with a mind to uplift their community, but are seduced by the american dream of incredible wealth available to those willing to compromise. Of course this is tempting to those who have known poverty for so long, but it is never worth it.

I’m livin’ in the kingdom where meek run the show Great clean the feet of the weak and the po’ I swear we never wanted what you think we comin’ fo’ We see it isn’t workin’ so we take another road

Instead of being lured by dreams of wealth, I’m reminded that the Kingdom of God turns unjust societies on their head. We live in a culture where the wealthy are favored and the poor are despised, macho and arrogant personalities often become leaders and presidents while the humble are forgotten. But “I’m livin’ in the kingdom where meek run the show,” as Jesus said “the meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5) and the greatest people are those who serve others, and wash others’ feet, not rule over them (Matthew 20:26), (John 13:14). It is clear that the american dream has not produced good fruit, so what good does it do to strive for something proven to be rotten? “We see it isn’t working so we take another road,” namely, the narrow and troubled road leading to the kingdom of God.

No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much? No we ain’t never marched for diamonds And never would demand your love Just the air to breathe The space to be Equality, is that too much to want Is that too much to want? Is that too much to want? Is that too much that too much Is that too much to want?

To be silent in an age of corruption Is to be violent towards those the system is stacked against To be silent in an age of corruption is to be violent against myself Which is somethin’ I will not do I will be disruptive I am not too loud I am not too angry I am not too Black I don’t want too much I am not too much I am not too much I am not too much

Desmond Tutu said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” This is particularly unacceptable for me in America as I am a member of the community that America has most harshly oppressed. For me, to remain silent would be a betrayal of myself, my black community and my God.

My people be feisty Don’t tell us to ask nicely Only demandin’ what belongs to us rightly Many Whites be frontin’ like they want peace But they just want us quiet when we murdered by police What if we handled beef like our commander in chief Droppin’ Tomahawk missiles on LAPD Sent some revolutionaries to invade DC Kill a corrupt King with his entire regime Then counted all their babies as civilian casualties Tell their widows that we did it in the name of peace You only make war wit’ big bombs and guns If you livin’ by the sword you gon’ die by one You don’t gotta get deployed if you POC Everybody from the hood got PTSD Every color folk ever been the sole representative in a classroom At a church, at our binesses We know how to flip a warzone to a feast How to inhale hate exhale with peace.

Personally, I do believe that non-violent resistance to evil is the most faithful Christian approach to combating oppression, but from a non-religious sociological perspective, and a nation that believes in the separation of church and state, it is within reason and morality for oppressed people groups to use force in their quest for freedom. White america’s stance on violence is unbelievably hypocritical. America celebrates the violent colonists who rebelled against the British empire when they felt their freedoms were being infringed upon. Revolutionary War generals are seen as heroes. Currently, America considers itself the global defenders of freedom and will fire missiles, drop bombs, and send troops to any people or regime they believe poses a threat to America’s freedom. Domestically, american criminals can receive the death penalty for crimes. In so many instances, violent resistance to injustice is celebrated, except when communities of color resist the injustice we face at the hands of the american government and police departments. Overwhelmingly so, black resistance movements have been non violent and peaceful, but are often painted otherwise. Protests are condemned as riots and looked upon with disgust. Protestors are called vandals, thugs, looters, even if the vast majority of them are protesting peacefully. American public education offers a very curated version of black history, emphasizing a narrative that protects those in power. In his book “Between The World and Me”, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes,

“Every February my classmates and I were herded into assemblies for a ritual review of the Civil Rights Movement… The month could not pass without a series of films dedicated to the glories of being beaten on camera. The black people in these films seemed to love the worst things in life- love the dogs that rent their children apart, the tear gas that clawed at their lungs, the fire-hoses that tore off their clothes and tumbled them into the streets. They seemed to love the men who raped them , the women who cursed them, love the children who spat on them, the terrorists that bombed them. Why are they showing this to us? Why were only [black people’s] heroes nonviolent? I speak not of the morality of nonviolence, but of the sense that blacks are in especial need of this morality” (Coates, 32).

American education celebrates the violent victories of white people who fought for their freedom in the face of significantly less oppression (Revolutionary War), but emphasizes the necessity of black Americans to remain non violent in every circumstance, no matter how severe our oppression is (slavery, lynching, segregation, murderous police). In the last verse of “Too Much?” I ponder, what would happen if black folks acted like our predominately white-male-run government acts? “What if we handled beef like our commander in chief?” What if we shot, bombed and attacked every institution that has and continues to oppress us? From a non religious perspective, we would be quite justified, but it wouldn’t be a nation I want to live in. This verse is not a threat as much as it is a mirror. Black people are not asking for too much. We are asking America to simply treat us like humans.